Climb for a cause: Support local charities at the Table Mountain cableway challenge

IOL News

09-05-2025

Participants will receive a medal made of retired track rope cable removed from the cableway.
And at the end of the race, each participant will receive something meaningful - a medal made from the retired track rope cable once used by Table Mountain Aerial Cableway Company (TMACC).
On race day, runners, walkers and joggers undertake to climb Platteklip Gorge as many times as possible between sunrise and sunset, to raise money for charity.
Participants from across South Africa will descend on Table Mountain on Saturday with one common goal – to tackle Platteklip Gorge as part of the annual Cableway Charity Challenge.
The steel cable, removed during the 2024 annual maintenance period, has been cut into discs by residents of The Ark – City of Refuge, a Cape Town-based organisation that supports people affected by homelessness and unemployment.
'We wanted to give participants a unique token of appreciation this year,' said Selma Hercules, executive director of TMACC.
'We chose something that was a reflection of the event and of the strength of the mountain. It also was a reminder of the power of the hands of local makers that went into the making of the medals, and of the impact of the money raised on the day.'
The funds raised will support four organisations that make a difference in communities.
Ubuntu Football, based in Masiphumelele, where young people are mentored through sport and life-skills development, is a new organisation to join the list of beneficiaries.
Executive director, Casey Prince, said the Cableway Charity Challenge was another great way for the Ubuntu Football story to spread further in the city through participants and spectators - and that interconnectedness is the spirt of "ubuntu".
'It's the community showing up, step after step, for our youth and for their futures.'
Karen Temlett, co-founder at Funda Kunye, a Hout Bay organisation which focuses on early childhood development in under-resourced areas, said the support they receive through the Charity Challenge helps build stronger, more nurturing foundations for children at the most critical stage of their development.
'Our work starts with caregivers, but it extends to entire communities,' said Temlett.
Volunteer Wildfire Services depend heavily on community support to remain response-ready during fire season.
'It's more than just a fundraiser - it's a powerful act of solidarity and community,' said Jenny Scheffers of the VWS team.
'Every step taken up the mountain represents support for the volunteers who dedicate their time and energy to protecting our natural heritage.'
For Wilderness Search and Rescue, the challenge is a reminder of the importance of teamwork.
'People come to the mountain for joy and adventure,' said Johann Marais of WSAR.
'When things go wrong, we're there, and it's support like this that ensures we always can be.'
Last year's event raised over R1.2 million, and this year, the goal is to match or surpass the amount milestone.
Residents can support the initiative by pledging to donate to the cause.
For more information, or to support the event, visit www.charitychallenge.co.za
Cape Argus